Monday, January 30, 2012

University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey said the Government
could not treat applications from Chinese investors differently from
similar applications from other countries' investors under what is known
as the 'most-favoured-nation' rule.''

She agreed with Key that the Government could have faced an
international law suit for breaching its free trade agreement with China
if it declined the Shanghai Pengxin purchase.

''Shanghai Pengxin's application pointed to numerous purchases of
farmland by investors of other nationalities, and claimed that rejection
of its otherwise well-founded application would amount to anti-Chinese
discrimination.

That would be the 650,000 hectares sold by Helen Clark between 1999-2008.

Then there's this from annointed leader, David Shearer:

Labour was not opposed to foreign investment, he said.

''However we also believe no overseas purchaser has an automatic
right to buy New Zealand land. That is a privilege and any purchase must
provide some added value.''

Pathetic. The OIO performs that exact task to ensure no overseas purchaser has an automatic right to buy New Zealand land - for sensitive land at least. And "added value" (in a roundabout way) is almost always one of the OIO's criteria - you have to put a business case.

Meanwhile, the Government's being challenged over claims the free trade
deal Labour struck with China meant the Crafar farm sale to Chinese
interests had to be allowed.

Labour Finance spokesman David Parker says both the Prime Minister and the Land Information Minister have made the claim.

Mr Parker says the relevant clause in the free trade deal doesn't change
New Zealand's ability to turn down applications for land purchases, and
we still retain control of foreign investment in our country.

Mr Parker says assertions a most-favoured nation clause in the FTA prevents control of land sales is also wrong.